Crossing, weakening or even breaking the borders and contrast between fantasy and reality – that is not only the indicator of intoxication, but also those of fiction itself. Authors from both east and west look at the question of whether lively impulses and new insights into poetry and truth can come from »grabbing the bottle.« The narrow path between spirit and fuel should be traced, therefore an alcoholic mist is expected over the event, but heavy drinking amongst either the authors or the audience is not.

In his short story collection »Unter Druck« (tr: Under Pressure), Faruk Šehić bears witness to the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the 1990s. At the age of 22, he voluntarily enlisted in the army in order to defend his country. Since that time, his experience of fear and violence, of nightmare and reconciliation, has become the focus of his poetry and prose.

The childhood novel written together by brothers Filip and Matei, »Die Jungs von der Allee« (tr: The Boys from the Alley) already showed signs of Matei Florian's unshakeably balanced prose, able to tell a story both playful and tragic. It is what made their début novel »Und Hams und Regretel« remarkable: A loving, unhappy man lives in a lonely mountain cabin surrounding by glowing dwarves. An event by the Romanian Culture Institute »Titu Maiorescu« Berlin as part of the ilb. Admission is free.

The Moldavian author Nicoleta Esinencu achieved international fame through her play »Fuck You, Eu.ro.Pa« about the identity crisis of young Moldova - a country stuck between post communism, exclusion from Romania, hatred of Russians and hatred of women. In this reading she will present her text from »Odessa Transfer,« a collection of stories about the Black Sea region. Afterwards, drinks will be available courtesy of the foundation. Admission is free.

»Nomaden ohne Oase« (tr: Nomads Without An Oasis) is about young Slovenian and Croatian men who were sent by Italy to the front line Africa. In the autobiographical novel »Im Labyrinth« (tr: In the Labyrinth), Pahor explores the fate of Slovenians in Italy after the Second World War, as they struggled towards their goal of a free state.

In 1992 Bora Ćosić left his homeland Serbia as a protest. In exile he began to write poetry again. His poetry collection »Die Toten. Das Berlin meiner Gedichte« (tr: The Dead. The Berlin of my Poetry) will be presented, in which he both remembers a bygone era and investigates domestic and international movements of people in the newly created states.